Covid-19 and World Communities continued

The tiny invisible virus, Corona Virus, to be specific Covid-19, has brought whole world to its knees, what would have been impossible for even a mighty army of the most powerful nation to do at such record speed. The virus attack originated in Yuwan region of China, impacted other Asian, South Asian and Southeast Asian nations to certain extent, almost skipping parts of Africa but causing tremendous destruction and devastation in Europe and Americas.

 

---- And one more time Arch Klumph’s words, The Six Famous Words of the 6^th President of Rotary International, from the podium of Atlanta convention in 1917 are ringing the ears of 1.2 Million Rotarians all over the world today.  Rotarians must go to work “TO DO GOOD IN THE WORLD!”

For over a century, the Rotary world in the west took a lion’s share in trying to do good wherever the need was, with the support from its Foundation, support with monetary contributions and International partnerships. COVID-19 has changed that equation as globalization has created interdependence of the countries. This has created need for all the countries to come together and fill each other’s deficits while trying to cope with the onslaught of the virus causing hundreds of thousands of deaths and tremendous destruction.

 

The researchers and scientists all over the world have already started working hard to improve diagnostic tools, treatments and preventive measures.  In the absence of these measures at present, social distancing and use of masks are the only tools we have to keep us safe and prevent the spread of this nasty virus. Without media focusing on them these researchers are collaborating with each other, trying to find ways to penetrate political, socio-economic, and cultural obstacles. Governments and large corporations of each country are trying to provide aid to protect populations at risk, supply tools to the hospitals and healthcare workers who are treating those affected with this virus. Once the acute phase is under control, long term needs will emerge and Rotary world can still continue to serve and make desirable impact.

 

The Rotary Foundation trustees and Rotary International directors are trying to develop a strategy and guidance for Rotarians all over the world, in this acute phase, so that they could help their own communities and communities that are suffering more at present.

 

 

We need to know what our community’s needs are. I am sure many of our clubs have done that assessment, set their goals, working towards those goals and trying to make a difference. I would need some help from all our clubs. I want to know the needs in your communities due covid-19 and how you are copying with it,  anything we can do collectively as a district to serve our communities in these difficult times.

 

I have just returned from India. Indu and I were lucky to be evacuated as US citizens by US Department of State with a special permission from Indian Government. We went to India before covid-19 hit Europe and USA, but were stranded there as whole of India was locked down before we could leave on our own.

 

Since our return and after 2 weeks of self imposed quarantine I am trying to explore the needs in our communities related to covid-19 as a physician and as district community service chair. Many of our physicians and our health care workers cannot get the testing for the virus or protect themselves with personal protective equipment. Many senior citizens living alone are hungry and lonely. Food banks are working hard. I would have thought that children must be hungry as well but few Rotarians in Canton told me that schools are providing food on weekly basis even though the children are out of the schools. I would appreciate your feed back and together we can design larger project to serve our communities as many Rotary districts all over the world are planning

 

 

Indu and I are glad that we are home. The experience of getting evacuated from totally locked down and paralyzed country of India which seemed impossible till miraculously we received mail from US embassy that we would be given preference to go to USA if we could reach US Consulate in Mumbai and leave within 48 hours. We lived in Pune, one of the megacities of India (population 6.7 million) and had to travel to US Consulate in Mumbai, another megacity 120 miles away (population 20 million).   

 

Both the cities and connecting highway had only police, military people and occasional emergency vehicles. During that journey our car was stopped several times. We had to show our US passport and request letter from US Embassy at every check point in order to reach US Consulate in Mumbai. This is an interesting “Safe Travel Request” letter.

 

 

Only one plane of Delta Airlines flew from huge International Mumbai airport to Atlanta that day. A direct flight of 16.5 hours and then to arrive at deserted, huge Atlanta International airport  working at 5% capacity around 5:00 am.  And to our surprise 13 hours later Delta flight with the capacity of 215 passengers brought just six of us to Akron Canton Airport. We could not be more grateful.

 

 

 

Rotarians all over the world are in unchartered waters of the pandemic and really trying to find what our roll should be. DG Dan, myself and I am sure many of you are getting requests from our International friends to partner with the projects to supply medical equipment to their hospitals like ventilators, dialysis machines etc.

 

 So much we know about Corona Viruses but so much more we need to know how COVID-19

would behave during and after this pandemic. Every day new and diverse information is coming out if we listen to the doctors, nurses and first responders of New York, the epicenter of Covid-19 in USA.

 

 It is not just a respiratory system virus but it is causing multi-system damage in a human body. Some reports are highlighting and questioning place of ventilators in saving lives. Some covid-19 patients are having stroke, loss of taste and smell, acute gastrointestinal problems, blood clots thrown into various organs of the body.

 

While medical community is not sure what exactly we are dealing with, we need to support them with their immediate known needs like PPE (Personal Preventive Equipment), masks to our community, support and show our appreciation not only to the hospital personnel but First Responders as well.

 

We could include Health care givers and first responders to our Zoom meetings to find out more ways to help.

 

Rotary could play a major role in long term planning as well. 

 

 

Please send your observations and your suggestions for your communities at durdarshan19@gmail.com

 

Meena Patel